Air Canada Case

Air Canada case.1. What problems does Air Canada hope that Maintenix will solve? Air Canada’s old legacy systems were not able to interact with one another or with the finance and inventory systems. The inefficiencies of these systems were costing the airline engineers’ time and money that could have been used on maintaining planes. a) The usage of several different legacy software packages installed over the last 15 years. b) The inability of the systems to interact with one another or with finance and inventory systems c) The costs on Air Canada the inefficiencies of these systems were causing.

2) How does Maintenix improve operational efficiency and decision-making? The Maintenix information system provides integrated, intelligent aviation maintenance, repair, and operations software. That leads the way to enhanced visibility of fleet-wide data, timelier decision-making, support of Air Canada’s existing business model, and increased operational efficiencies. The Maintenix system is accessible via the Web and easy to deploy to all stations around the world. It reduces repetitive tasks and time chasing missing or incomplete information by allowing maintenance, engineering, and finance divisions to easily share information. Wireless deployment also makes Maintenix more effective, since aviation technicians, equipment, and parts are always on the move. 3) Give examples of three decisions supported by Maintenix system. What information do the Maintenix modules provide to support each of these decisions? Maintenix software package consists of 6 different modules which are separate segments of the product and interconnect Three decisions supported by the Maintenix system:

a) Compatibility of parts? The maintenance-engineering module establishes the configuration hierarchy, rules, and maintenance program that all of the other modules depend upon. A company uses this module to describe machinery components, part relationships, and compatibility rules. b) Is a...

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

...Jacob P. Smith
BSA1205
Monday, 25 March, 2013
On July 23, 1983, AirCanada ﬂight 143 departed from Montreal, bound for Edmonton
via Ottawa, but never made it. The Boeing 767 involved, was one of the newest airliners
to have an Electronic Flight Instrument System on board, which controlled many
systems on the plane. This system also replaced many of the jobs formerly done by the
ﬂight engineer, including the calculation of fuel required for the ﬂight. The aircraft and
crew ﬂew with no problems from Montreal to Ottawa. At Ottawa, the plane was loaded
with 61 passengers plus 8 crew and was refueled for the ﬂight to Edmonton. This is
when a critical mistake was made. When refueling the airplane, the improper amount of
fuel was loaded on board. At the time, this was the only plane in the AirCanada ﬂeet
using the metric system. It showed readings in litres and kilograms, instead of imperial
gallons and pounds, to calculate the fuel required for the ﬂight. This meant that the
person who fueled the aircraft would have to convert from litres to kilograms instead of
the normal gallons to pounds, to correctly load the fuel for the ﬂight. When the plane
landed in Ottawa it had approximately 7,682 liters of fuel remaining. The estimated fuel
required for the whole ﬂight was 22,300 Kilograms. The mechanic that fueled the plane
needed to work out how many litres made up 22,300 kg. This result would allow him to...

...AirCanada and WestJet
Operations Management Case
September 25, 2010
Presented by:
AirCanada
For an airline, what are the advantages of having new modern planes? What are the disadvantages?
One advantage of having modern planes is that the new technology can result in subsequent cost savings due to better fuel efficiency, faster response times and ease of automated processes. Fuel is the greatest cost for airlines. A further advantage in line with technology is the ability to provide passengers with different amenities such as internet access and other in-flight services that passengers will be agreeable in paying.
Better technology is allowing planes to remain in the air for longer and this allows an airline to expand into international destinations. Superior safety features compared to older models are another advantage along with the expected decrease in downtime due to fewer mechanical issues.
One definite disadvantage is the cost of the aircraft and the capital outlay needed. In this volatile industry the return on capital could end up being very different than originally calculated, resulting in negative repercussions.
Another disadvantage is the required training that must be given to the pilots and crewmembers.
Replacement parts for modern planes are more expensive than replacement parts for older planes. Additionally, when aircrafts...

...What problems does AirCanada hope that Maintenix will solve?
The legacy software package installed 15 years ago wasn’t efficient because there systems weren’t able to interact with one another or with finance and inventory system. The inefficiencies of these systems were costing AirCanada the time of its engineers and money that could’ve been used on maintaining its planes, instead of needlessly maintaining excess inventory.
2. How does Maintenix improve operational efficiency and decision-making?
* Matintenix provides a system platform that is accessible via the Web and easy to deploy to all stations around the world. Mxi claims that their software reduces repetitive tasks and time chasing missing or incomplete information by allowing maintenance, engineering, and finance divisions to easily share information.
* Maintenix can supply data to the company’s existing enterprise resource planning and financial software, and AirCanada plans to link it up with its PeopleSoft finance and human resource applications.
* Maintenix can supply data to the company’s existing enterprise resource planning and financial software.
* Wireless deployment also makes Maintenix more effective, since aviation technicians, equipment, and parts are always on the move.
* Maintenix helped AirCanada to set up a “logical configuration” which describes...

...How serious is the threat from conventional airlines that want to imitate the westjet culture? What does it take to imitate organizational culture? Can AirCanada compete against westjet’s employee productivity and its relationship with its employees?
Ever since its establishment in 1996, WestJet has aimed to operate as a low-cost carrier while employing non-unionized members in a unique organizational culture. In its simplest form this unique organizational culture can be labeled as a labor managed firm. In a labor managed firm employees are owners, and they are affected by the company’s performance through profit sharing. Then it should not be surprising that in labor managed firms, the employees can voice their opinions and actually contribute ideas and theories in regards to how to best run the company, or the airline in this case. An interesting example for WestJet: the employees have formed a group, dubbed the ‘WestJesters’, they do various things to improve the customer’s (referred to as ‘guests’ in WestJet language) experience such as developing little jokes that flight attendants tell. WestJesters is one of the several committees of flight attendants that meet regularly to discuss everything from customer service to language and culture.
According to Kruse et al. (2009, Chapter 5) shared capitalism (profit-sharing) positively affects workplace performance. And it has also been discussed that shared capitalism leads to...

...1009853G-II20-0025
Liu Ying
23/09/2010
Assignment2:
AirCanada Takes off with Maintenix
Read the Interactive Session: Technology, and then discuss the following questions:
1. What problems does AirCanada hope that Maintenix will solve?
2. How does Maintenix improve operational efficiency and decision-making?
3. Give examples of three decisions supported by the Maintenix system. What information do the Maintenix modules provide to support each of these decisions?
Answer:
1. What problems does AirCanada hope that Maintenix will solve?
• The AirCanada hope that the Maintenix will solve the problem that the system weren’t able to interact with one another or with finance and inventory systems.
• The AirCanada hope that the solution will provide additional functionalities to Air Canada's Engineering, Planning, Materials Management, Line Maintenance and Technical Records departments and is expected to be fully implemented at all AirCanada locations by 2010.
2. How does Maintenix improve operational efficiency and decision-making?
• Matintenix provides a system platform that is accessible via the Web and easy to deploy to all stations around the world. About operational efficiency ：Mxi claims that their software reduces repetitive tasks and time chasing missing or...

...International Case #: 6-2
T h e C a s e o f (Scandinavian Airlines S A S System)
INTRODUCTION
SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES SYSTEM (SAS) originated when the airlines of Sweden, Norway and Denmark formed a consortium. 1970’s - competition are fierce and resulted in a loss market share. 1981 - Jan Carlzon, The CEO, undertook drastic decentralization. Top-Down authority replaced by open communication. SAS Strategies is to become known as “the businessman’s strategy” (with rather high fares), with upgraded service, on-time performance, good food and comfort.
For the Future SAS has 2 goals 1. To become the most efficient airline in Europe by 1992 2. To be one of the five major airlines in Europe after 1995 Keystone is SAS’s global strategy is to form strategic alliances. - An agreement to exchange equities with Swissair was reached in 1989. - Alliance was also made with All Nippon Airways, LanChile, Canadian Airlines Intl and Finnair.
I. TIME CONTEXT
II. VIEWPOINT
1981
Jan Carlzon SAS CEO
III. CENTRAL PROBLEM
Fierce competition, Loss of market share & Reduced profitability
IV. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE
Must: to cope up with competition Wants: to become the most efficient airline in Europe by 1992 and to be one of the five major airlines in Europe after 1995
V. AREAS OF CONSIDERATION
THREATS 1. Competition with larger airlines 2. High fuel price 3. Rising operational costs 4. Decrease in demand for air service 5. Price...

...Case Analysis
WestJet is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service. Beddoe, Bell, Hill Morgan and David Neelman believed that there was not only a market for a low-fare carrier in Canada, but that they could succeed at bringing this service to the country. They became the founding team of the concept that became WestJet Airlines. WestJet has been very successful with their low-fare strategy. They believe that their culture was the key that helps their business grows. They focus on their culture and how to maintain their “fun” culture. All WestJet’s employees are treated equally no matter what their titles are. Beside all employees have respect and trust then they will feel happy and comfortable to work with WestJet and more loyal to the company. WestJet also believes in teamwork because this is the way can help them reduce their cost. Everyone works as a team will help each other out. Every employee can do any job so the company does not need to hire many people to work on a specific job.
According to the WestJet case that I have read, the main problem is WestJet’s expansion plans. They want to expand more airline route networks in Canada but they do not want to change their culture. They will need to hire more people for their expansion plans. The more people are hired, the more difficult for the company maintain their culture. Because of...

...WestJet Case Analysis | February 6
2012
|
By: Abdu Dipersico |
Current Marketing Situation
Strengths
* Ranked as the second best airline in Canada
* Ranked top employer and has the most admired corporate culture in Canada
* Known for having customer-friendly culture and enthusiastic employees
* Expanding year by year and adding more traveling destinations which include the United States and popular sun-destinations
* Added more advanced, next generation, aircrafts
* Set goals for 2016 to be 1 out of 5 most successful airlines in the world
* Offer great customer service experience at great value, which will essentially attract more customers and help build on their goals of 2016
* Uses 1 aircraft type which is the Boeing 737; This reduces maintenance and training costs
* Leveraged technology to reduce operating costs (which is 30% below its main competitors) which, sequentially, leads to offer customers low fares and convenient point-to-point air travel
* Differentiating from competition by offering low-cost fares, comfort features, and good customer service which will all lead to a positive flying experience
* 85% of WestJet employees own shares in WestJet, including front line employees who are authorized to make customer service decisions, which are essentially positive for the customer and the company.
* Always looking to improve by monitoring and rating...